*This article spoke to me immediately as I sat, nursing my 3 week old baby girl, reading the New Zealand Herald… (honestly, I can only spend so much time on Facebook while a breastfeed…) My pregnancy was also difficult, and with a few issues. But, after just 3 weeks, thankfully, I can honestly say my recovery seems to be going a bit better. To explain this properly I have to go back a few years…

When I got pregnant at the age of 30, my body was not like every other 30 year old…At the age of 21 I was involved in 2 major car crashes 6 weeks apart resulting in 2 fractures in my lower back. Earlier the same year I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour and had brain surgery in which the tumour with the pituitary gland was removed. Recovery was slow and a long process and due to the medication and loss of hormonal balances I gained a lot of weight. On top of this due to the car accidents I was living with excruciating back and neck pain. Medical advice was always, you need to condition and strengthen your muscles, but I felt helpless and most gyms was not equipped for people with my kinds of issues…

A few years later while living in Abu Dhabi I discovered a training facility that was safe for people in rehabilitation for back injuries. It focused on slow movement resistance training on machines. I was very sceptical but within a few sessions I started to see changes and started feeling stronger and I was able to do things I haven’t done in years. After just 3 months I was pain free! I decided that I needed to change careers and brought this style of training to Auckland, starting a personal and private studio in Newmarket. I now live to and love to help other people lead healthier lifestyles

When I fell pregnant last year my body was strong and I was able carry this little baby girl to 39 weeks. Early in my pregnancy I was diagnosed with pelvic atrophy… (Not related to any of my previous injuries, some woman just get this during their pregnancies because of the hormonal changes). In my last trimester I had to use crutches to move around as the pain was really bad.

But, this is where the good news start…

…the moment my little baby girl was born my body went straight into recovery mode. Due to my training and strong muscles, recovery after the birth was faster due to the healthy baseline I had before I got pregnant. Once again, it proved to me that recovery is linked to a healthy body. Resistance training can help woman build stronger / leaner bodies and allows recovery to be so much easier. The good news is, it is never too late, and you can build those muscles up again after the pregnancy as well! I am living prove that it is never too late….*

I feel for the author the NZ Herald article and I would love to help her and any other mum get back into shape, or even into a better shape they were before their pregnancy! But more importantly, if you are thinking of starting a family, I’d definitely like to help you and your body be better prepared.

The most important thing I learned is that we need to be educated on how to work out properly and this has inspired me to help others with the knowledge that I have gained in the last 8 years of being in this industry. Unfortunately the fitness industry is good at providing hyped-up work out routines, but not so good at educating people on the best things for their body. I hope my experience will help and inform other women to look after their bodies and work on building a strong core and live more balanced healthy lives.

Whatever stress your body has experienced, a pregnancy or it recovering from some injury, the correct kind of strength training can help you recover and regain your strength and a healthy body. So ladies, there is hope – and it need only take 25 minutes a week! *